Therapeutic bath



March 1, 1949, sTANsBURY 2,463,329

THERAPEUTIC BATH Fild June 12, 1947 IN VEN TOR. hhLE E. J771NfBl/RY INSULATED 20M ATTORNEY Patented Mar. 1, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE THERAPEUTIC BATH Hale E. Stansbury, Cleveland, Ohio, assignor to Thermo Electric Company, Cleveland, Ohio Application June 12, 1947, Serial No. 754,221

4 Claims. 1

This invention pertains to a therapeutic parafiin bath, and more particularly to a drain for such a bath.

For the therapeutic treatment of a persons hands, feet and limbs by the application of heat a number of liquid baths have been designed into which the portion of the body to be treated may be inserted. One of the most effective and popular bath models is the one in which the liquid which surrounds the limb is paraffin. The main reason for its extreme popularity is that such a bath is capable of heating the limb to a greater degree without burning than water, oil baths, radiant heat, hot air and the like. When a portion of the body, for example a hand, is to receive a paraffin heat treatment it is immersed in the melted paraffin and is then quickly removed so that a thin layer of the parafiin adheres to the skin and then congeals to form a thin paraffin glove. This procedure may be repeated several times until there is built up a paraffin glove of sufficient thickness that the patient can keep his hand in the bath continuously without undue discomfort. It has been found that the paraflin can be maintained at a higher temperature than a water bath without burning the patient, and that accordingly more heat is applied to the patients hand. A further outstanding advantage over the water bath is that the patients skin does not become wrinkled due to long immersion as it does in a water bath, and consequently it is in better condition for massage which often follows such a heat treatment. An advantage of the parafiin bath over radiant heat or hot air is that the skin is not dried out but remains soft and pliable and is in excellent condition for massage.

During the heat treatment the portion of the patient immersed in the paraffin perspires and this liquid gathers at the bottom of the container. In spite of this and the fact that paraifin costs more than water, the advantages of using paraifin so far outweigh its disadvantages that it has been readily accepted by the medical profession, but because of the expense of the paraffin it is apt to be used repeatedly and usually by a large number of patients before the parafiin is thrown away and a new clean supply added.

An object of this invention is to provide means for easily draining the contents of a parafiin bath.

Still another object of the invention is to provide means for easily cleaning a paraflin bath.

Hot parafiin flows more readily than water and in some instances when the drain valve is slightly worn it leaks hot paraffin even though it would not leak water, so it is an object of the invention to provide a drain system for a hot paraffin bath wherein even hot parafiin will not leak out of the drain.

Other objects and a fuller understanding of the invention may be had by referring to the following description and claims when they are read in conjunction with the drawing wherein:

Figure 1 is an isometric view of a typical parafiin bath.

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken through the bath shown in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a detailed view, partially in crosssection, showing the drain for the bath shown in Figures 1 and 2, and

Figure 4 is a circuit diagram showing the electrical circuit of the bath.

With reference to the drawing there is shown in Figures 1 and 2 one model of a paraffin bath It, and comprising a base ll formed preferably of wood to which are connected four feet or wheels I2. The wooden base H has broad level central portion [6 and an upwardly extending portion [3 around the peripheral edge. A four-sided chromium plated jacket l4 fits within the upstanding edge |3 of the base H with the lower edge 15 of the jacket resting against the outer edge of the fiat part It of the base.

Resting on the top of the jacket [4 is a wooden rail I! having a portion l8 positioned outside of and below the upper edge of the jacket [4. This portion l8 and the upstanding edge 13 of the base ll prevent the jacket M from sliding out of position.

Connected to the lower edge of the rail l! by a number of screws l9 and hanging downwardly therefrom is a metal container 20 which is adapted to hold paraffin. The rail 11 is held down against the jacket I4 and the jacket is held against the wooden base I l by means of two connecting frames, one positioned between the front face IA of the jacket I4 and the front face 45 of the container 29 (shown in Fig. 3) and the other, identified generally by reference character 25, occupying a similar position between the back face of the jacket and the back wall 24 of the container 20. Each of these connecting frames 25 comprises a metal strip 26 preferably about one-eighth of an inch thick and one-half inch wide connected to the underneath side of the rail l! by screws 21.

Two metal rods 28 are welded or otherwise connected to the metal strip 26, and they extend downwardly between the jacket I4 and the wall of the metal container 20 through holes in the base H, and nuts 29 are screwed onto their lower ends thereby tensioning the rods 28 and compressing and holding the rail H, the jacket M and base H together. Thus the container 2% is suspended from the rail I1, and it hangs above the base ll so that insulating material 363, such as rock wool or the like, does not get compressed due to the weight of the container and its con.- tents. The rock wool insulating material also occupies the space between the jacket i and the side walls of the container 20 so that radiation and conduction of heat away from the container is kept at a minimum.

In order to apply a large amount of heat to. melt the paraflin into a liquid state and to maintain it at a temperature which is not toohot for a person several heating element are utilized, as is schematically shown in Figure 4. A c'ord All. is connected at one end to the usual plug 4! for insertion in a ll-volt A. C. current supply, and the two wires 42, 43 which form the cord are connected to an insulated terminal panel 4:; mounted on the inside surface of the front wall 45 of the jacket 14. When the plug 4! is connected to a current supply voltage is established across three circuits A, B and C. Circuit A comprises a semiautomatic time switch 41, the heating coil 35 which is wrapped a number of times around the side walls of the container 20, a heating coil 48 which is underneath the container 20, and a thermostatic switch 49. Circuit .8 is in parallel with circuit A and comprises a single heating element 50 connected across wires 42, 4'3 and a thermostatic switch 46. Circuit C is in parallel with circuits A and B, and comprises a heating element and a switch 52.

When the paraflin within the, container is cold and an operator wishes to heat it he inserts plug 4| into a current supply line. Due to the paraffin within the container being cold the thermostatic switches s6 and 49 are closed. The time switch i! is, however, usually open. Thus heater coil 50 is the only heating element energized. The semiautomatic time switch is then turned to the 60 minute (or less) position thus closing circuit A and energizing coils 35 and 48 for the length of time set on the face of the time switch 41. The time switch automatically opens circuit A when the time is satisfied whether or not the parafiin is completely melted. The operation of circuit A for one hour with circuit B also being on usually will melt all the paraihn. In the event of a failure of the time switch e1 to operate at the end of the designated time the thermostatic switch 39 breaks circuit A to prevent overheating. Ordinarily the heat supplied by circuit A is controlled by the time switch ll and the thermostatic switch is used only in anemergency. Once the paraffin is brought up to heat circuit A is open and the heater coil 58, under control by the thermostat 46, alone maintains the bath at proper temperature.

Another parallel circuit C is connected across wires 42, 43, and comprises heater coil 5| and a manually operated switch 52. The heater coil is wrapped about a drain spigot 53 which extends from the bottom of the container 20. The'spigot consists of a downwardly extending portion 54 which contains a standard valve and valve actuating handle 55, and a portion 56 which extends horizontally out of the downwardly extending portion 54 then slightly upwardly and then turns down to an opening 56. It has been found when the container is to be drained to remove the paraffinfrom the container 20.

accumulated perspiration that a parafiin plug in the drain usually prevents free flow of the liquid. In order to melt this plug and permit the water to flow out the operator opens valve 55 then pushes the push button switch 52 thereby energizing heater coil 5 I. The button is kept down until liquid flows out of the opening 55, and it is then released to open circuit C. When the water has drained valve 55 is closed to stop the flow, but by this time a small amount of paraflin usually has lodged in the horizontal part 51 of the tube 56. This paramn does not flow out of the spigot due to its upwardly extending portion, and when it hardens it helps to prevent leakage of g This is of importance because for the sake of economy the valve, used is designed for use with water and the like, and hot parafiin is apt to slowly leak out after the valve has been worn slightly. By establishing a paraffin plug in the spigot 53 there is provided added assurance against leaking and the valve need not be replaced so long as it functions sufficiently well to slow the hot paraffin to, an extent that the plug will form.

While the invention has been described with a certain degree of particularity itis to be understood that changes can be made in the, parts and their arrangement without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as hereafter claimed.

I claim as my invention:

1. A drain system for a therapeutic parafiin bath including a paraffin container having an opening in the bottom thereof, drain pipe means sealingly connected to the bottom of said container at said opening, said drain pipe means near said opening extending in a, substantially horizontal direction thence upwardly and thence downwardly to the discharge end of said drain pipe, a valve in said drain pipe means, and electric heating means positioned in heat; transfer relationship with at least said valve and the said upwardly extending portion of said drain pipe, said heating means includin switch means for switching on and ofi the electric current through said heating means. 7

2. A drain system for a therapeutic parafiin bath including a paraffin container havin an opening in the bottom thereof, drain pipe means sealingly connected to the bottom of said container at said opening, said drain pipe means including a downwardly extending portion one end of which is connected to said container and a horizontal spigot; said spigot comprising a horizontally extending portion connected to the other end of said downwardly extending portion, an upwardly extending portion connected to said horizontally extending portion and a downwardly turned discharge portion; a valve in drain pipe means, and electric heating means inheat transfor relationship with said valve and with the upwardly extending portion of said spigot, and switch means in said electric heating means.

3. In an electrically heated therapeutic paraffin bath device, a parafiin container having an opening in the bottom thereof, drain pipe means connected to said opening, three parallel connected electric circuits for heating said bath, the first and second of said three circuits each comprising heating element means in heat transfer relationship with said container and a thermostatic switch for automatically opening and closing the circuit for controlling the amount of heat applied to said container by the circuit, said third circuit comprising a heating element in 2,468,829 5 6 heat transfer relationship with said drain pipe means and a manually operated switch, whereby REFERENCES CITED the operator can selective1y energize the heat- The following references are of record in the ing element in said third circuit independent of file of this patent: the energizatlon of the heat ng element means UNITED STATES PATENTS 1n said first and second c1rcu1ts.

4. An electrically heated parafin bath device Name ate as set forth in claim 3, further characterized by 1, 1,500 Reader June 14, 1921 a manually adjustable timer switch in said first 1,652,409 fi p 0. 1927 ircui 19 1,706,997 Davis, Jr Mar. 26, 1929 1,744,598 Wait Jan. 21, 1930 HALE STANSBURY' 1,936,391 Harrewer Nov. 21, 1933 

